HDDScan for Windows

Ver. 3.3

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 Introduction

HDDScan is a freeware utility to test HDD, RAID, Flash and SSD drives
The program can scan drive for Bad-blocks, display S.M.A.R.T. attributes and change some
HDD parameters such as AAM, APM, etc.

Author: Artem Rubtsov

Support sites:
Russian: http://hddscan.ru/
English: http://hddscan.com/

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Capabilities and requirements:

Supported storage devises:

• ATA/SATA HDD
• SCSI HDD
• USB HDD (see Appendix A)
• FireWire or IEEE 1394 HDD (see Appendix A)
• RAID volumes made of ATA/SATA/SCSI HDDs (surface tests only)
• USB Flash (surface tests only)
• ATA/SATA SSD Drives

Storage device tests:

• Verification in linear mode
• Reading in linear mode
• Erasing in linear mode
• Reading in Butterfly mode (synthetic random read)

S.M.A.R.T.:
• Reading and analyzing S.M.A.R.T. parameters from ATA/SATA/USB/FireWire HDD
• Reading and analyzing Log Pages from SCSI HDD
• S.M.A.R.T. tests running on ATA/SATA/USB/FireWire HDD
• Temperature monitor on ATA/SATA/USB/FireWire/SCSI HDD

Additional features:
• Reading and analyzing identity information from ATA/SATA/USB/FireWire/SCSI HDD
• Changing AAM, APM, PM parameters on ATA/SATA/USB/FireWire HDD
• Reporting defect information on SCSI HDD
• Spindle start/stop function on ATA/SATA/USB/FireWire/SCSI HDD
• Reports can be saved in MHT format
• Reports can be printed
• Skins support
• Command line support
• SSD S.M.A.R.T. and Identity reports (NEW)

Requirements:
• PC with CPU 1.5 ГГц and RAM 256 МБ
• OS Windows 2000 SP4, Windows XP SP2 or SP3, Windows Vista, Windows 7,
Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2008.
• The program shouldn’t be started from a read-only device

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 User interface

Main view:
Pic.1 Main view

Control elements:
• Select Drive drop box - contains list of supported storage devices in a system. List
contains models and serial numbers of devices. Icon defines possible device.
• S.M.A.R.T. button – generates S.M.A.R.T. attributes report.
• Tasks button – shows pop-up menu with tasks
• Surface Tests element – opens Test selection windows (see Pic.2)
• S.M.A.R.T. element – same as S.M.A.R.T. button click
• S.M.A.R.T. Offline Tests – activates submenu with Short, Extended and Conveyance
S.M.A.R.T. tests.
• Temperature Monitor element – starts temperature monitoring task
• Features element – activates Features submenus.
• Identity Info element – generates Identity information report.
• Skin selection – opens dialog to select skin
• Build Command Line – opens dialog that can build command line for the program

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Test selection window:
Pic.2 Test selection window

Control elements:
• Start LBA field – determines first logical sector number for testing.
• End LBA field – determines last logical sector number for testing.
• Block Size field – determines block size for testing (in logical sectors).
• Test radio buttons – select type of the test.
• Add Test button – adds test into a tests’ queue.

Tests capabilities and limitations:

• Can be started only one test at a time. Author wasn’t able to get stable test results with
two or more simultaneous tests.
• Verify test may have restriction on Block Size with 256, 16384 or 65536 sectors because
of Windows limitations.
• Verify test may work in improper way on USB/Flash devices.
• In Verify mode device reads block of data into internal buffer only and checks for
consistency, there is no data transferring through interface connector. The program
measures operation time for each block. The program tests blocks one by one from
minimum to maximum.
• In Read mode device reads block of data and transfers it thorough interface. The program
reads block of data into temporary buffer and measures time of operation for each block.
The program tests blocks one by one from minimum to maximum.
• In Erase mode the program prepares block of data field with special pattern and number
of logical sector. The program sends the block of data to drive and drive writes the block
(All data in the block on drive will be overwritten and gone forever!) The program
measures operation time for each block. The program tests blocks one by one from
minimum to maximum.
• Butterfly Read mode is similar to Read mode difference only in blocks’ order. Blocks are
tested by pairs. The first block in the first pair will be Block 0, the second block in the
first pair will be Block N (where N is number of last block for testing). Next pair will be
Block 1 and Block N-1. Test ends in the middle of testing area. The program measures
operation time.

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Test Manager window:
Pic.3 Test Manager window

This window contains test queue. All surface tests, S.M.A.R.T. tests and Temperature Monitor
tests will be displayed in the Test Manager. Manager allows deleting tests from queue; some test
could be paused or stopped.
Double click on a task line will open task information window

Pic.4 Task information window example

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Test information window

This window contains information about selected test. Test could be paused or stopped and
report with results can be generated.

Graph Tab:
Displays testing speed for each block. Information represented as a graph.

Pic.5 Graph tab

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Map Tab:
Displays response time for each block. Information represented as a map.

Pic.6 Map tab

By default map dynamic update is disabled, because map re-paint can consume a lot of CPU
time and this can lead to speed miscalculations. To reduce map dynamic update influence special
buffer – Map Update Queue has been created. A thread which tests a drive puts all map update
tasks into that buffer. Another thread takes map update tasks from the buffer and draws the map.
If the buffer utilized completely (100% shown) test results may be inaccurate. If you see that
such thing is going to happen – disable map dynamic update. You can scroll the map with your
mouse and see map results even if map dynamic update is disabled – it doesn’t affect testing
accuracy.

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Report Tab:
Contains information about selected test and each block of a drive which responding time was
more than 50 ms.

Pic.7 Report tab

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Identity information

Report contains information about physical and logical parameters of HDD. Report can be saved
in MHT file.

Pic.8 Identity information example for ATA/SATA HDD

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Pic.9 Identity information example for SCSI HDD

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S.M.A.R.T. report:

Report contains information about drive’s performance and “health” described in attributes.
Green icon means – attribute values are normal. Yellow icon marks important attributes which
may indicate HDD’s malfunction. Red icon shows abnormal attribute values.
The report can be saved in MHT file.

Pic.10 S.M.A.R.T. report example for ATA/SATA HDD

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 Pic.11 S.M.A.R.T. report example for SCSI HDD

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 Pic.12 S.M.A.R.T. report example for SSD drive

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 Pic.13 S.M.A.R.T. report example for SSD drive

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Temperature monitor:

Monitor allows evaluating HDD’s temperature. Temperature is indicated on the Task bar and in
the information window. Pic.14 shows temperature for two drives.

Pic.14 Temperature monitors on the Task bar

For ATA/SATA/USB/FireWire drives the information widow displays two values. The second
value is shown on the Task bar and represents temperature from HDA Temperature attribute.
The first value indicates temperature from Airflow Temperature attribute.

Pic.15 Temperature monitor for ATA/SATA HDD

For SCSI drives the information window shows two values. The second value is shown on the
Task bar and represents current temperature.
The first value indicates maximum allowed temperature for HDD.

Pic.16 Temperature monitor for SCSI HDD

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S.M.A.R.T. tests

The program can run three kinds of tests

1. Short test – lasts about 1-2 minutes. The test inspects drive’s main schemas, scans small part
of drive’s surface and checks sectors from the Pending-list (such sectors may have read errors).
This test recommended for quick drive testing.
2. Extended test – lasts 0.5-2 hours. The test inspects drive’s main schemas and scans the whole
drive’s surface.
3. Conveyance test – usually lasts several minutes. The test inspects drive’s main schemas and
logs which may indicate inaccurate transportation or storing.

Pic.17 S.M.A.R.T. test information window

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Additional features:

The program may change some parameters for ATA/SATA/USB/FireWire HDD.

1. AAM – this function changes drive’s acoustic. If this function enabled drive’s noise may
be decreased by smoothing HSA’s seek operations. HDD could lose some performance.
2. APM – this function allows power savings by temporary decreasing spindle’s rotation
speed (including complete stop) when drive is in idle.
3. PM – this function allows setting spin-down timer. If drive is in idle spindle will be
stopped after the time set in the timer. If any program requests HDD access the internal
timer will be reset and spindle will continue to spin.
4. Disable Seagate PM – theoretically should turn off spin-down timer on some Seagate
drives but I was unable to find drives on which this command would work.
5. The program can also start or stop spindle immediately. If any program requests HDD
access - drive will spin up.

Pic.18 Features window for ATA/SATA HDD

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The program can show defect-lists and start or stop spindle for SCSI drives.

Pic.19 Features window for SCSI HDD

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Skin usage

Program uses AlphaSkins component which allows user selecting new skins for application.
You can download skins from here - http://www.alphaskins.com/asdwnld.php
You can find a manual how to create your own skin on that site too.

Create Skins subdirectory in the directory where HDDScan.exe file is located. Download and
copy skins to that subdirectory. Open Skin Selection dialog. Press Select Skin button and choose
desired skin. Program will create main.ini file that file will store information about current skin.
If you delete main.ini file program will use default internal skin – WLM. Skinned mode
checkbox can disable or enable skin usage (enabled by default)

Pic.20 Skin Selection dialog

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Program can build command line and save it to cmd or bat file. If you run such file the program
starts in background mode, changes selected parameters and closes automatically.

Pic.21 Command Line dialog

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Appendix A: USB/FireWire HDD

If USB/FireWire HDD is supported by the program, tests, S.M.A.R.T. capabilities and additional
features may be executed on the drive.
If USB/FireWire HDD is no supported by the program, only tests can be executed.

USB/FireWire HDDs supported by the program:

Storage device Controller chip
StarTeck IDECase35U2 Cypress CY7C68001
WD Passpopt Initio INIC-1610L
Iomega PB-10391 Unknown
Seagate ST9000U2 (PN: 9W3638-556) Cypress CY7C68300B
Seagate External Drive (PN: 9W286D) Cypress CY7C68300B
Seagate FreeAgentPro Oxford
CASE SWEXX ST010 Cypress AT2LP RC7
Vantec CB-ISATAU2 (adapter) JMicron JM20337
Beyond Micro Mobile Disk 3.5" 120GB Prolific PL3507 (supported only USB)
Maxtor Personal Storage 3100 Prolific PL2507
Maxtor Personal Storage (USB2120NEP001) In-System ISD300A
SunPlus SPIF215A
Toshiba USB Mini Hard Drive Unknown
USB Teac HD-15 PUK-B-S Unknown
Transcend StoreJet 35 Ultra (TS1TSJ35U-EU) Unknown
AGEStar FUBCP JMicron JM20337
USB Teac HD-15 PUK-B-S Unknown
Prolific 2571

USB/FireWire HDDs which probably supported by the program:

Storage device Controller chip
AGEStar IUB3A Cypress
AGEStar ICB3RA Cypress
AGEStar IUB3A4 Cypress
AGEStar IUB5A Cypress
AGEStar IUB5P Cypress
AGEStar IUB5S Cypress
AGEStar NUB3AR Cypress
AGEStar IBP2A2 Cypress
AGEStar SCB3AH JMicron JM2033x
AGEStar SCB3AHR JMicron JM2033x
AGEStar CCB3A JMicron JM2033x
AGEStar CCB3AT JMicron JM2033x
AGEStar IUB2A3 JMicron JM2033x
AGEStar SCBP JMicron JM2033x
Noontec SU25 Prolific PL2507
Transcend TS80GHDC2 Prolific PL3507
Transcend TS40GHDC2 Prolific PL3507
I-O Data HDP-U series Unknown
I-O Data HDC-U series Unknown
Enermax Vanguard EB206U-B Unknown
Thermaltake Max4 A2295 Unknown
Spire GigaPod SP222 Unknown

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Cooler Master - RX-3SB Unknown
MegaDrive200 Unknown
RaidSonic Icy Box IB-250U Unknown
Logitech USB Unknown

USB/FireWire HDDs not supported by the program:

Storage device Controller chip
Matrix Genesis Logic GL811E
Pine Genesis Logic GL811E
Iomega LDHD250-U Cypress CY7C68300A
Iomega DHD160-U Prolific PL-2507 (modified firmware)
Iomega Prolific PL-3507 (modified firmware)
Maxtor Personal Storage 3200 Prolific PL-3507 (modified firmware)
Maxtor One-Touch Cypress CY7C68013
Seagate Pocket HDD Unknown
Seagate External Drive (PN-9W2063) Cypress CY7C68013
SympleTech SympleDrive 9000-40479-002 CY7C68300A
Myson Century CS8818
Myson Century CS8813

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Appendix B: SSD drives

SSD support mostly depends on SSD controllers

SSD drives supported by HDDScan :

SSD Drive SSD Controller Chip
OCZ Vertex, Vertex Turbo, Agility, Solid 2 Indilinx IDX110M00
Super Talent STT_FTM28GX25H Indilinx IDX110M00
Corsair Extreme Series Indilinx IDX110M00
Kingston SSDNow M-Series Intel PC29AS21AA0 G1
Intel X25-M G2 Intel PC29AS21BA0 G2
OCZ Throttle JMicron JMF601
Corsair Performance Series Samsung S3C29RBB01

SSD drives which probably supported by HDDScan:

Накопитель Микросхема контроллера
OCZ Vertex2, Agility2 SandForce SF1200
OCZ Vertex LE, Vertex 2 Pro SandForce SF1500
Corsair Force F100 Series SandForce SF1200
Xceed Lite Unknown

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